What is “written” has permanency. Though this rider has already won many crowns from his enemies, in theory an enemy could one day take those crowns from him. The fact that his name is “written” communicates to John’s beleaguered readers (the “offspring” of the woman, Revelation 12:17) that in the fullness of time it will certainly be shown that his name is above every name. That includes the “blasphemous names” the beast sported on its heads (Revelation 13:1). Those names were not “written” and hence not permanent.
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.